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GANNON ATTAINS TOP-TIER RANKING IN AMERICA'S BEST COLLEGES
Fortified by improvements in the academic quality of its student body,
small class sizes, and graduation and retention rates, Gannon University
is ranked 45th out of 165 peer schools in the new edition of
U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2005.”
“Gannon’s outstanding
ranking places it in the top tier, or tier one, of the northern sector of
the United States, which encompasses all of Pennsylvania, New York,
Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and the six New England
states,” said Gannon University President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D. “Two
years ago, in the university’s strategic planning process, we established
a goal of achieving top-tier standing. It is a tribute to Gannon’s faculty
and staff that we have attained this goal in two years.
“We are also pleased to have
maintained our position in the top one-third of the regional institutions
ranked in the ‘Universities-Master’s’ category, which includes
institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s
programs while offering few, if any, doctoral programs,” he added.
Adhering to its stated goal
of being student-centered and focused on student learning, Gannon lowered
its student/faculty ratio to 11/1, as compared with 13/1 one year ago.
Gannon’s ratio of 11/1 was tied for fourth-best among the 83 schools
ranked in the top tier of the university’s category.
Similarly, the university
cut its percentage of classes with 50 or more students, lowering it from
0.3 percent last year to 0.2 percent this year.
Gannon also continued to
make progress in strengthening the academic quality of its student body.
In SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile, a category used to
compile the rankings, the university currently stands at 940-1,160, as
compared with 920-1,140 a year ago.
The university remained
competitive with peer institutions in two other criteria U.S. News &
World Report uses to rank schools: rates for graduation and freshman
retention. In the current edition of the guide, Gannon’s freshman
retention rate stands at 80 percent.
The university fared
particularly well with respect to its graduation rates. Gannon’s rate in
the current edition of the guide, 67 percent, was tied for 23rd—best
among the 83 schools in the top tier of its category.
Other
criteria used to rank schools include percentage of classes with 20 or
fewer students, percentage of faculty who are full-time, freshmen
graduating in the top 25 percent of their high school class, acceptance
rates, and average alumni giving rates.
OUR FOLKS
Sympathy extended: please remember all in your
prayers as regretfully we announce the deaths of:
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Jeanette Detisch, mother of Rev. Scott
Detisch, former faculty member and director of the Pastoral Studies
program and Gannon class of 1982; and Rev. John Detisch, Gannon
class of 1983.
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Clair Kuntzman,
grandfather of Bridget Rager, alumni and conference manager.
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Colin Chivers,
brother of Gannon freshman Timothy Chivers.
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Mary Sunseri, grandmother of Gannon senior
Sarah Sunseri, who is studying in Guatemala this semester.
OUR EVENTS
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Thursday, September 2
–
Opening Mass of the Holy Spirit: Offered at 11 a.m. at Friendship
Green.
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Thursday, September 9
– World
Peace Prayer Service/9-11 Memorial: To be held at 11 a.m. in the
Yehl Room.
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Thursday, September 9
–
Open Faculty Meeting: To be held at 3 p.m. in the lower level of
Nash Library. The Senators will be introduced, contact people will give
updates, and there will be an opportunity for faculty input. Sponsored
by Faculty Senate.
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Thursday, September
16
–
Community Mass: Offered at 11 a.m. in the Chapel.
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Saturday, September 18
– GIVE
(Gannon's Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere) Day: Students will
perform community service at a number of local agencies and
organizations. Also on Sept. 18: Nash Library Celebrity
Auction/Murder Mystery: The murder mystery, “Eat the Lutfisk,” is
written and produced by Deb West, head of reference at Nash Library. In
addition, hundreds of items will be auctioned off. The event will be
held at the library; doors open at 6 p.m.
Tickets
are $10. All proceeds will benefit Nash Library. For more information
call ext. 7667 or ext. 7666.
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Friday, September 24
–
Gannon University’s
Erie Chamber Orchestra: The concert will feature as
soloist Kelly Fiona Lynch, coloratura soprano. 7:30 p.m. at Saint
Patrick Church, 130 East Fourth Street.
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Thursday, September 30
–
Gannon
University’s Schuster Theatre: “Defying Gravity” by Jane Anderson.
Directed by Edward Helenski, technical director, Schuster
Theatre.
Scheduled for 8 p.m. Performances also will be held Oct. 1-3 and
Oct. 7-9.
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“Our Events”
is intended to serve as a random sample of campus events.
For a more complete listing, refer to Eventcal.
CURRENT BIRTHDAYS
Linda Loader. Jim Finegan. Teresa Kuilman. Cindy Kurczewski. Bill
Strub. Rev. Nicholas Rouch. Mary Pol. Anne O’Neill-Klemensic.
Edward Dickens. Sister Anne McCarthy. Colden McDowell. Mary Heberle.
Raymond Olson. Justin Bailey. Mary Wagner. Barbara Townsend. Mary Harsh.
Theresa Howell. Shawn Dawley. Thea White. Colleen Cipriani. Ann
Silverthorn. Debra Bartle. Ronda Hogan. Jay DiFrank. Abdelrahman Aburachis.
Ludwik Medeksza. Susan Grande. Judith Van Rheenen.
THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE
Monday, August 30 – Gannon University
Athletic Department meeting; Educational Collaborations meeting with area
college and university presidents.
Tuesday,
Aug. 31
– PROMISE Photograph. Wednesday,
September 1 – Downtown Improvement District Association Board
Meeting. Thursday, September 2 – Opening Mass of the Holy Spirit;
Faculty Senate meeting. Saturday, September 4 –
GLIAC football at Gannon University Field: Gannon vs. Grand Valley State.
HEARD ON
CAMPUS
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Special thanks to Gannon colleagues for their
assistance with media interview requests. Dr.
Garibaldi spoke with two local television stations on the university's
New Student Convocation, held Sunday, Aug. 22. Linda Fleming, Ph.D.,
assistant professor of counseling psychology,
spoke to Gerry Weiss of the Erie Times-News about how society
reacts to media images of men hugging. In particular, Democratic
presidential candidate John Kerry and his running mate, John Edwards.
Kate Carnell, assistant director of Student Organizations and
Leadership Development, did an interview with Channel 12-WICU on campus
efforts to get students registered to vote in November. Special thanks also to Richard Sukitsch and Judy Van Rheenen
for their help with informational requests related to media queries.
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Congratulations to Eric Grignol, graphic
designer for Gannon Press. Grignol's designs are painted on the north
and south sides of the bridge near 14th and State streets. Grignol was
featured in a front-page Erie Times-News article on Aug. 25.
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Colleen Cipriani will be leaving the
Chaplain’s Office to pursue new opportunities in Columbus, Ohio. A
farewell gathering will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1,
in the Pietraszek Room of Waldron. Come and bid farewell and God’s
blessing to Colleen. Her last day at Gannon is Friday, Sept. 3. Also
departing Gannon is Kelly Matczak, director of Gannon Press. She
has accepted a position with the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition in
Florida. A farewell reception will be held Thursday, Sept. 2, in Room
219 of the Waldron Campus Center from 3:00-4:30 p.m. Please plan to stop
by and wish the best to Kelly.
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NextMedia Broadcasting has hired Gannon senior Travis Phelps to
call the play-by-play for Gannon football this fall. Phelps will be
paired with Jim LeCorchick on JET Radio AM-1400. Phelps, a
communication-arts student, has called play-by-play for Gannon
athletics, including football, basketball, baseball, and softball, for
the past two years on Energy-FM 90. He also co-hosts
The Prime Time Sports Guys
show on Energy-FM 90, which will return to the air Thursdays this fall
at 89.9-FM. All Gannon football games this season will air on JET Radio
AM-1400 and will be streamcast worldwide at
www.wergfm.com. Congratulations to Energy-FM 90’s Deb Rao and
Mario Medina, co-hosts of
Potencia Latina. Rao and Medina recently were honored by the
Hispanic American Council of Erie in recognition for their service to
Erie’s Latino community. Potencia
Latina airs Sundays on Energy-FM 90 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
(in Spanish). Rao is currently in her 19th year as host of
the show.
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The Office of Admissions
is still in its current home, the Palumbo Academic Center, and will not
move to Gitnik Manse until Sept. 30. Prior to that date, please refer
visitors looking for Admissions to the Palumbo Center. Call ext. 5759 with any questions.
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A benefit/fundraiser for Ryan Stahon will be
held Saturday, Sept. 4. Stahon, a Gannon student, was severely
injured in a car accident in May. The event will be sponsored by
family, friends, and local businesses and will be held at Wattsburg Fair
Grounds from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Includes a DJ, Chinese auction, bake sale,
door prizes, and food and soft drinks. Call the School of Nursing at
ext. 5520 for tickets or to make a donation. Purchasing a ticket allows
the holder to be eligible for door prizes.
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Gannon colleagues are reminded to
send in responses for the Speakers Bureau/Media Resource
Directory. (The deadline was July 6 as noted in Dr.
Dalton’s memo.) If you have not yet responded, please complete
the form and return it to the Communications Office. If you do not have
a copy of the form, contact Jeannie Kloecker at
ext. 5816 or e-mail
kloecker001. Unless you provide notification otherwise by Sept.
7, you will no longer be included in the Speakers
Bureau/Media Resource Directory listings.
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